Concentrating machine



May 13 1.92% 1,493,943

- H. J. PHILLIPS CONCENTRATING MACHINE Filed Oct. 18 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

Patented May 13, 1924-.

UNTTED STATES HARRY JOSEPH IHILLIPS,

OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

CONCENTRATING IBIACHINE.

Application filed 'Uctober 1S, 1922. Serial No. 595,446.

insure the proper separation ofthe heavier materials from the lighter materials in a mobile substancepassing there through and suspended from a suitable frame work by cables passing over sheave wheels so that the weight of the hopper is thus counter-balanced by counter-weights attached to the said cables.

Another object is to provide a valve for automatically with-drawing the heavier materials form the bottom of the hopper as fast as the said materials accumulate.

Another object is to provide a means of 25 commuicating motion to the hopper either by a horizontal or vertical shaft to insure the proper settling of the heavier materials to the bottom of the hopper.

Other objects and advantages will be ap- 50 parent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of my machine, as designed to be operated with a vertical shaft. Figure 2 is a side elevation of my machine as designed to be operated with a horizontal shaft. Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the views.

Referring to the accompanying drawings 1 is a suitably shaped hopper suspended by means of cables 3 attached to the fastenings 2 and passing over (preferably ball-bearing) sheave wheels 9 and secured to the weight-arm 10, pivoted at 11 and provided with a sliding weight 12, or under favorable operating conditions the weight-arm 10 may be dispensed with and the cables 3 would then be secured directly to a suitable weight 17 as indicated by the dotted lines.

A window of transparent material 23 may be placed near the bottom of the hopper for the purpose of observing the quantity of heavier materials collecting in the bottom of the said hopper.

I In the bottom of the hopper is a valve arranged as follows: Secured to the bottom of the hopper by bolts is a replaceable valve seat 19. The contact between the valve seat and the hopper is made watertight by the gasket 20. Resting in a circular opening in the valve seat 19 is the part 18, which has an under surface shaped like an inverted cone. The replaceable part 3.2 may be used to take up the wear against the valve seat 19. The parts 18 and 32 are both secured to the tubular part 21 by means of threads. The tubular part 21 serves as a guide for the rod 22.

Referring particularly to Figure 1, the hopper 1 which is shaped like a bowl or pan is shown in section. Mounted upon a suitable frame work by means of the bearings 7 is a vertical shaft 4' which is rotated by a pulley 5. The lower portion of the shaft is so connected at 25 as to have an eccentric motion when the shaft is rotated. This eccentric motion is communicated to the hopper 1 by means of a water tight piece of tubing 18 sealed at its lower end and attached to the hopper 1 by means of the frame work 15. Secured to the upper part of the frame work 15 is a circular baflie 16 which may be used to prevent the escape of floating particles of the materials passing through the hopper. Intimate contact between the tube and the shafting is maintained by means of the journal 14, which is provided with. grooves to permit the free passage of air, oil, grease, etc.

'Referring particularly to Figure 2, the hopper 1 is shown in section: This hopper 1 is a V shaped trough increasing in depth and width toward the discharge end, and having an enlargement in the bottom nearest the discharge end to provide for collecting and discharging the heavier materials. The horizontal shaft 4 which is mounted upon a suitable framework 27 by means of bearings is rotated by means of the pulley 5. .Also mounted upon the shaft 4 is an eccentric 25 which, when the shaft is rotated communicates a shaking motion to the hopper 1 through pieces of rubber orsprings 28 in contact with the part 29. A baffle plate 30 secured to the pan 1 on each side serves the same purpose as the bafie 16 in Figure 1.

In the operation of the machine the material undergoing treatment is dropped 1nside of the circular bafiie 16, in case the me chine with vertical shaft, shown in the Figure 1 is used, or in case the machine with horizontal shaft as shown in Figure 2 is used the said material is dropped into the small end of the hopper 1. In both cases the settling of the heavier materials to the bottom of the hopper may be assisted by a shaking motion imparted to the hopper by means of the rotation of the shaft l, while the lighter portion of the material is discharged over the discharge-lip 81. When the proper amount of the heavier material has accumulated in the bottom of the hopper as may be determined by observing the small window 23, the counter weights 12 or 17 are so adjusted that the increased weight of the hopper due to the accumulation of more of the heavier material, causes the hopper to move downward where upon the rod 22 which is stationary presses against the valve opening it and causing the heavier materials to be discharged through the central opening in the valve seat 19 until the balance of the weights against the hopper is once more restored, when the hopper 1 rises and the valve is closed by its After the machine is once own weight. adjusted its operation is automatic and rea sonable variations in the amount of feed supplied does not efiect this automatic operation. Floating materials collecting inside of the baffle may be removed with the hands, or floating mineral particles may be settled by sprinkling lye or other substances upon them.

The lighter material discharging over the edge of the hopper is caught in a launder, trough 33, or other suitable receptacle placed beneath the discharge lip, and thus the said material is conducted away from the machine. I

The heavier material discharging through the valve in the bottom of the hopper is caught in a trough 34E, launder or other suitable receptacle placed beneath the said discharge valve. The stationary rod which opens the discharge valve is rigidly attached to a stationary object 85, butv the rod may or may not be flexible.

The type of frame work supporting the various parts of this concentrating machine is determined by the structural conditions existing at the nlace where the machine is used. The necessary elements of such frame work include rigid supports for the sheave wheels, the rotating shaft and the station ary rod which opens the discharge valve.

The upward or downward motion of the hopper is limited to a suitable distance determined by operating conditions, by stationary members which engage with the counter weight or other moving parts of the machine at the limit of motion desired.

The horizontal position of the hopper may be malntained by attaching the cables mes es thus. In the machine operated with hori zontal shaft a cable attached to the counter weight passes over a sheave wheel located over one end of the hopper and the said cable divides into two parts, one part being attached to each side of the said hopper. Similarly a cable is attached to the other end of the hopper and passes over a second sheave-wheel and thence over the first sheave wheel being attached to the first mentioned cable at a point between the first sheave-wheel and the countenweight.

The material undergoing treatment is fed to the machine through the trough or launder 36.

In the machine with vertical shaft the cables may be attached to the hopper at three equidistant points around its outer edge and passed over three sheave-wheels positioned over the three respective points of attachment and thence over one or more sheave-wheels located at a common point to one side of the machine and after pass ing over the last of these sheave-wheels the cables may be joined into one cable attached to the counter weight.

I am aware that all of the principles in the operation of my concentrator are not new, and that other designs exist of machines having a vertically moving hopper fitted with a valve for automatically withdrawing the concentrates. Therefore I do not claim such a combination broadly: but

I claim.

1. In a concentrating machine the combination of a hopper suspended by cables passing over sheave-wheels to a weight to counter balance the weight of the said hopper. a baffle attached to said hopper to retain floating materials, a discharge lip on the hopper to prevent the discharging material from running down the out side of the hopper, a valve in the bottom of the hopper having the shape of an inverted. cone and resting in a circular opening in such a manner that it will open by contact with. a stationary rod when the hopper moves downward, and will close automatically when the hopper rises again and means of communicating a shaking motion to the said hopper to assist the settling of the heavier particles of the material contained therein; said means consisting of a shaft with means of rotating said shaft, and an eccentric member upon said shaft operatively connected with the said hopper.

2. In a concentrating machine the combination of a hopper suspended by cables passing over sheave-wheels to a weight to counter balance the weight of the said hopper, a baffle attached to said hopper to retain floating materials, a discharge lip on the hopper to prevent the discharging mate rial from running down the out side of the hopper, a valve in the bottom of the hopper having the shape of an inverted cone and resting in a circular opening in such a manner that it will open by contact with a stationary rod when the hopper moves downward and will close automatically when the hopper rises again and means of communicating a shaking motion to the said hopper to assist the settling of the heavier particles of the material contained therein; said means consisting of a shaft with means of rotating said shaft, and an eccentric member upon said shaft operatively' connected with the said hopper, and a small Window for observing the material in the hopper, all substantially as described above.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

HARRY JOSEPH PHILLIPS. Witnesses:

B. M. ALLEN, DAISY DUDLEY. 

